Home At Last
by Alli in the Meadow
Summary: Edward is deployed to Iraq and is now returning home. This is a one-shot of the reunion of Bella and Edward after two long years apart. EXB, AH, One shot.
1. Home At Last

A/N: Hey everybody, I'm back! I know that I haven't updated my other story in a long, long, long time but I have been writing. I've been working on this one shot for a while so I hope that you all like it! Also, I would like to thank my beta **Grace in Chaos**. Everybody should checkout her profile – **Hacking into Love** is an awesome fic!

Summary: Edward is deployed to Iraq and is now returning home. This is a one-shot of the reunion of Bella and Edward after two long years apart. EXB, AH, One shot.

Scene set up: Mid October, semi cold outside, 6:00 pm.

**Twilight does not belong to me, it belongs to the wonderful Stephanie Meyer.**

**Home At Last  
by Alli in the Meadow**

Nausea and panic. That's all I felt. These two things were taking over me and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I was standing outside the military base rocking back and forth slowly on the balls of my feet. It had taken me and my truck 4 ½ hours to get here. It probably would have taken the average vehicle about 3 but I wasn't going to let that truck go until it was knocking on deaths door.

Even though it had taken me an hour and a half longer to get here I wish that it would've taken longer. Don't get me wrong. I wanted to see Edward, how could I not? I hadn't seen him in two years, two whole years. We've communicated for these last two years and I don't know if things would still be the same. In my heart I knew that it would all be fine, but it was my damn head that was ruining things. In the back of my mind there was a small thing telling me that he wouldn't want me anymore.

Edward and I got married before he was deployed to Iraq. The wedding wasn't too big, which is something that I wanted. In the beginning all I wanted was to elope but I didn't want to rob that experience from not just Edward but our families.

I was nervous. No more than nervous; I was in a state of panic. Thank god that I took Alice with me. On the way here she kept me calm. She insisted on driving but I couldn't let that happen; there's no way Alice could handle my truck. Knowing her she'd drive too fast and then my poor baby would break down. Then where would we be? Yep, on the side of the road and would miss this reunion.

I didn't know what to do when Edward left. We were both only 21; young, in love, with our whole lives in front of us. I decided that I would continue with school and hope to find a job when I eventually got out. I stayed in the area and took care of Charlie when needed, even though Sue was doing a better job than I ever did. I loved seeing them together.

We stayed in contact through email, video chatting, and, my favorite, letters. I had more than one shoe box full of the amazing letters we'd written to each other. I know that writing letters is a little old fashioned, but I think that's why I liked them so much. A letter is something that can be saved forever. It's like being able to capture a moment and the feelings you felt for someone else in time. And it also helps that I very much enjoy writing, especially to Edward.

There were many other people standing around in the same position that I was. We all shared a common bond and it was difficult for me to look around. I saw wives, children, parents, and siblings waiting for their loved one. I knew that every single person here was feeling the same way I was. I had no clue as to how I was going to react when I saw him. I hope that I won't cry but I know that I will.

But the true question was how was he going to react? I know he's missed me and that he still loves me but what if he's changed? I've read many, almost too many, books about the military wife and how to adjust to deployment. War can change a person and I know that there is a possibility that things won't be the same. Over the last two years I've tried to prepare myself for that. The first year was the hardest for not only me, but for everyone else. I visited our family almost daily. It was so nice to see Alice, Esme, Emmett, and the rest of them not just because they were family but because it reminded me of him and how everything was before he left.

"Bella stop rocking." Alice said taking me out of my train of close to panic thought.

"What?"

"Stop rocking back and forth, you're starting to make me feel nervous!

"I'm sorry Alice, I just can't help it."

"I know. How are you holding up?" she asked calmly

"Um, I'm okay. I don't know Alice I'm just so damn nervous. It's been so long. I just want everything to be ok."

"Don't worry Bella. I know that everything will be fine! He loves you and nothing, not even a war, can or ever will change that."

"Thank you Alice, you always know the right things to say."

"I know." Alice smirked at me. I found it funny when she did this; it reminded me so much of Edward.

I had finally semi calmed myself down when I saw the bus. It was a fancy bus that seemed to be full to capacity with soldiers. My breathing became totally erratic. I started hyperventilating and Alice, being the prepared person that she was, handed me a brown paper bag to breathe into.

Everyone was cheering and screaming waiting for them to exit the bus. This was it. This was the exact moment that I've been waiting for. I didn't know what to do so and the paper bag wasn't helping as much as I wanted it to. I started to get light headed and to put it bluntly I was kind of tripping out. Dizziness, extreme cheering, and a lack of oxygen weren't a good combination. Alice saw my situation and snapped me out of it. Again, I swear she was prepared for anything and everything.

I knew that I had to be strong. I would get through this and in a matter of minutes, once we made our way through this crowd, I would see him. We would be reunited and nothing would ever tear us apart again.

And with my newly found confidence I grabbed Alice's hand, wiped my tears which I had now just noticed were there, and we started to make our way through the crowd toward the bus.

The air around me was thick. I could hear people crying and screaming for joy and I knew that soon that would be me. Even though there were people all around me, I somehow knew where to go. I knew the exact path to him.

Then I saw him. He looked just as he did when he left. The same beautiful bronze hair and gorgeous green eyes. I looked at him and starting yelling his name. He heard my screams and we made eye contact. At that moment I felt so complete. I was still a good 50 feet away from him, but that didn't matter; I knew that it was all okay.

When he saw me he started to push through the crowd at an alarming rate. I had never seen him so desperate for something – and it was nice to know that I was the thing he was fighting for.

Right as we were about to come into contact someone, who was having their own magical reunion, accidently put their foot out in front of mine and I tripped. Damnit! Why must my extreme clumsiness show up now! But before I could hit the ground I felt his arms around me. I looked up and bore my eyes into his.

"I see you're still just as clumsy." He pulled me up and whispered into my ear "and I love it." And that's all it took. Just hearing his voice made me cry, hysterically.

We stood there holding and kissing each other for what seemed like hours. This was the best reunion that I could have ever imagined. When I saw the look and intenseness in his eyes it said it all. I knew that he still loved me and nothing had changed. There was no doubt in my mind that we would be together forever.

"I love you Edward."

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that. I love you too, my Bella."

**A/N: Thanks everybody for reading - reviews and constructive criticism would be extremely appreciated! Have a great day!**

**-Alli in the Meadow**


	2. Authors Note!

Authors Note:

Hey everybody! Thanks so much for the support with this one shot. I've been checking my story traffic and you all are definitely reading it but I haven't gotten many reviews. Don't get me wrong, I've LOVED the reviews I've gotten (thanks to paulineta, Grace in Chaos, iLoveEdwardCullen3, and AliceCullenIsMinexx) and I don't want to get too greedy – I just want to know what you all think (constructive critism is always a good thing!). So it would be EXTREMELY appreciated if you all could review after reading. :)

Thanks and take care,

Alli in the Meadow


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